O that thou wert so pitifull
Vnto these torments that doe pull
My soule with senselesse paines,
As thou shew’st in that face of thine,
Where pitie and milde grace should shine.
If that thy faire and sweetest face
Assureth me both peace and grace,
Thy hard and cruell hart,
Which in that white brest thou dost beare,
Doth make me tremble yet for feare
Thou wilt not end my smart:
In contraries of such a kinde,
Tell me what succour shall I finde?
If then yoong Shepherdesse thou craue
A herdsman for thy beast to haue,
With grace thou maist restore
Thy Shepherd from his barren loue:
For neuer other shalt thou prooue,
That seekes to please thee more,
And who, to serue thy turne, will neuer shunne
The nipping frost, and beames of parching sunne.
Cardenia that was musing more in her minde of the loue she bare to Faustus, then that she heard by Carisus song, after a while that she had leaned her hand vpon her sheepehooke, said. But what dost thou say to my demand? But what saiest thou, said Carisus, to that which I craue of thee? What crauest thou said Cardenia, for truely I gaue no attentiue eare vnto thee, I was thinking so much of my departure. Is this the reward answered Carisus, that I looked for at thy hands, for keeping thy kine? Yet do what thou wilt, and go whither thou wilt, for in the end I cannot chuse (as euer more I do) but obey thy command, and thinke my selfe sufficiently appaide (if thou wilt not condescend to any other thing) that with thine owne mouth thou hast made me the herdesman of thy kine: for since I haue passed so many troubles for thy sake without any guerdon, I will also passe away this greefe without any further de∣nial, so that thou receiuest contentment hereby; and this shal be enough for the re∣ward which I expect, wherein I finde no small ioy and contentment. I thanke thee Carisus, said Cardenia, for thy good will: I pray God giue thee more rest then I haue at this present hower. And with this, bicause I go to set other things in order, I take my leaue of thee: thou shalt finde my kine to morrow in the place where thou kno∣west they are commonly wont to be. When she had dispatched this busines, she went to the Shepherds, that were neerer to her, then she was aware of; for when she went from them, they followed her to see what passed betweene them, whereat they tooke no small delight, and laughed not a little when Carisus said in his song, that if she was ashamed to giue him a kisse, he would with her leaue take it himselfe. Hauing therefore prepared all things necessarie for her iourney, shee went her waies next day in the morning in the companie of those three yoong Shepherds, whom we will now leaue, since they knowe (without vs) howe to finde out this
